In recent years there has been a major shift in thinking about the nature and treatment of special educational needs. The principal benefit of this change has been an increased awareness of "educational" needs and a focus on improving the quality of educational provision, in both ordinary and special schools, for much larger numbers of children.
The benefits which have accrued from this change have been enormous and there can be no doubt that the quality of special educational provision has been enhanced. The intention of "Special" "Educational Needs" is not to argue against the new conceptualization but to suggest that a generic approach can be made more effective if it is informed by awareness of the specific problems associated with particular impairments which some children may experience and the ways in which those problems may be most effectively responded to.
The aims of this book then, are to review contemporary understanding of the frequency, nature and sources of special education needs; to consider the various conditions which give rise to learning difficulties; to provide authoritative accounts of the special methods and resources that may be required by pupils with particular difficulties; and to examine general and specific needs in relation to assessment, curriculum planning, and the organization of educational provision, parent involvement, support and advisory services.

The nature of provision for special educational needs has changed dramatically over the years following the Warnock Report and the 1981 Education Act, with an increased awareness of educational needs and a focus on improving the quality of provision for much larger numbers of children. This book attempts to underpin current practice by providing information about the impairments and disabilities which may contribute to the development of handicap and may limit educational progress. Against a context of a generic understanding of special education, the book stresses the entitlement for all children to a broad and balanced curriculum, and explores ways in which the National Curriculum can be adapted to meet the needs of children with various handicapping conditions. The central chapters focus on particular areas of special educational needs, each chapter being written by a specialist who explores in detail how conditions can be recognised, what specialist skills and resources are needed, and the implications for provision, teacher support, curricular access, assessment and classroom management.